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Some years ago, singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette penned a song titled "Ironic." Its lyrics probably spoke to most of us at one time or another in our lives.
For instance the chorus of the song includes these thoughts: "It's like rain on your wedding day. It's a free ride when you've already paid. It's the good advice that you just didn't take ..." All of these things and more are examples of irony.
Irony hit me squarely in the face this past Monday, And it wasn't in a good way, I awoke to the national news outlets reporting that more than 40 people had been shot in various locations and situations in our country. This depressing news included a school shooting that killed two students.
No, I am not getting on a soapbox about gun control. Violence comes in all varieties from shootings to car accidents to child abuse. It's not about the guns or cars or fists. It's about the disturbed people who commit such lawless acts.
So where is the irony on this particular Monday of which I write? I will explain.
Monday was the first day of the annual Ohio Valley media blood drive sponsored by the American Red Cross. The event has had such loyal followers (myself included) that this year's event was held over two days.
The Wheeling Island Hotel, Casino, Racetrack once again generously offered space for this event. Local media promoted it so well that most of the donors had taken the effort to make appointments to donate on Monday and Tuesday. Walk-in donors also were welcomed.
I knew something was off when I appeared for my 2 p.m. appointment and saw that nearly all the chairs in the waiting area were full. That told me that things were behind schedule. It soon became apparent as some folks told me they had been waiting for more than two hours despite having made appointments to donate.
I sat and talked with other would-be donors who said it didn't look good that my appointment would be anywhere nearly on time.
Soon Red Cross officials came over to the waiting crowd and gave explanations of why they were behind. I didn't quite understand the explanations, but when I saw only three or four blood techs handling the donor floor I knew that was an issue for a crowd of hundreds that normally turn out for this blood drive.
As a regular blood donor, I was more than dismayed.
And as a member of the media, I was even more than embarrassed about the situation.
Here's where the irony comes in. On a day when so many people in this country suffered blood-letting traumas, I could not help them. I could not give them my sought-after O-negative blood, at least not on that day.
So I left and made plans to attend another future blood drive at a smaller venue in the Ohio Valley. And after Monday's experience, that's kind of ironic, isn't it?
Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.